Method for proportionally balancing garments



Jan. 13, 1953 H. BOOTH 2,624,943

METHOD FOR PROPORTIONALLY BALANCING GARMENTS Filed March 10. 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet l SHOULDER REFERENCE PLflA/E INVENTOR. HENRY 500 TH Jan. 13, 1953 H. BOOTH 2,624,943

METHOD FOR PROPORTIONALLY BALANCING GARMENTS Filed March 10. 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 SHOULDER EEFEPENCE PLHA/E INVENTOR. HEN/Q v 5 00 TH BY A 11 F? 7'T0/Q/VEY Jan. 13, 1953 H. BOOTH METHOD FOR PROPORTIONALLY BALANCING GARMENTS Filed March 10. 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 HENRY Boon! ATToQA/EY Jan, 13, 1953 BOOTH 2,624,943

METHOD FOR PROPORTIONALLY BALANCING GARMENTS Filed March 10. 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. HENRY BOOTH QTTORNEY Jan. 13, 1953 H. BOOTH METHOD FOR PROPORTIONALLY BALANCING GARMENTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 10. 1948 LSQWW INVENTOR HENRY Bow-H ATTORNE-Y H. BOOTH METHOD FOR PROPORTIONALLY BALANCING GARMENTS Filed March 10. 1948 Jan. 13, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 H a H mm m m m V! a EL m Patented Jan. 13, 1953 METHOD FOR PROPORTIONALLY BALANCING GARMENTS Henry Booth, Bronxville, N. Y., assignor to The Henry Booth Methods Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 10, 1948, Serial No. 14,134

9 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a method. for proportionally balancing garments.

Garments such as men's suits are now procured in two general manners, usually designated as tailor-made and ready-made. A tailor-made garment is one in which cloth is selected by the customer and the suit made to order from measurements taken by a tailor. Usually, the girth of the chest, the girth of the waist, the girth of the seat, the girth of the abdomen, the girth of the thigh, the height of the customer, the outseam of the trouser, the inseam of the trouser, the inseam of the sleeve, a measurement from the middle of the back of the neck across the shoulder to the elbow and then to the end of the sleeve, a measurement from outseam to outseam across the shoulders, a measurement from the middle of the back of the neck around the front and down the front to the vest opening, and then down to the top of the waist are taken. The squareness of a the shoulders is checked. All of the measurements taken are not necessarily used. From these measurements, the tailor cuts a pattern from which the cloth is cut and basted into the form of the garment. Ordinarily the basted garment is fitted to the customer and inaccuracies in the pattern are compensated for in orde to get a suit of clothes which fits.

With a tailor who has a degree of skill, a fairly good fitting garment is attained in this manner.

Unfortunately, however, an individual merchant tailor cannot afiord to employ a stylist who cornmands a large salary and who has the ability to cut clothes so that they present a smart or stylish appearance. A tailor-made suit, therefore, while well fitting is apt to look old-fashioned and out of style.

Ready-made clothes are designed by a master stylist who since his style will be reproduced many times can be economically employed by an establishment making ready-made clothes. The designer usually cuts a pattern for what is termed a 38 regular. The style is usually given a name. The regula pattern is cut for a man having a 38 chest measurement and regular posture, that is a man who is not hunchback, round shouldered or hollow chested. It is assumed that he is of average height and has normal shoulders, equal in length and in slope. In addition to the regular size, two other 38 sizes are made, that is a 38 short and a 38 long so that for each chest measurement there will be three general sizes. In addition, the style is usually made in the three types for all chest measurements from thirty-five to fifty-two. Accordingly, it is necessary for a store selling the clothes to carry sixteen sizes of three lengths for each style. It is not unusual to have as many as five hundred difierent sizes and lengths in various styles for one pattern of cloth. It will be seen, therefore, that the choice of styles and fabrics must necessarily be limited in ready-made clothes.

Furthermore, it rarely happens that a stock suit of clothes will exactly fit a customer. Some alterations are always necessary. Not infrequently, in making the alterations, the style which was expensively achieved may be destroyed or altered to lose its effect.

One object of my invention is to provide a method and apparatus for proportioning garments such that a standard pattern may be altered from the customer's measurements in such a manner that the style of the garment will be retained and that the garment will fit the customer precisely without a trial fitting.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for proportionally balancing garments by transcribing into measurements intelligible to cutters deviations from a standard pattern required to be made to obtain a garment which will fit a given customer and retain the original s yle.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel apparatus for proportioning garments from measurements whereby a standard pattern may be altered to provide a garment which will fit the customer and retain the style of the garment.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a coat showing various adjustments made between front and back panels for various changes from a regular pattern.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is aside elevation of the garment shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a front panel of a coat showing the various changes made in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is an elevation of a back panel of a coat showing the corresponding changes made.

Figure 6 is a view showing a section of a tape used in the apparatus embodyin my invention.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of a device for proportioning garments which may be used in carryin out my method.

. Figure 8 is-a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view drawn on an enlarged scale taken on a line 9-9 of Figure 8. on an enlarged scale of the portion of the face Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view drawn 0f the device shown in Figure 7. w

Figure 11 is a fragmentarysectional view taken along the line I l-I I in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line l2l 2 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the front of a coat showing the use of the strap measurement to establish a horizontal reference plane.

ljigure l4; is a rear perspective view of a coat showing the use of a scye measurement to establish ahorizontal reference plane. Y

' Incarrying out my method, Ifirst establish a horizontal reference plane to which all other measurements are co-related. This reference plane extends horizontally below the armscye of the garment and is determined by measuring around one shoulder. Themannerof establishing the referenceplanecan be understood by'reference to Figures 2 and 3. For uniformitys sake, I prefer toestablish this reference plane tangent to the bottom of the armscye of thegarment. The "length of the measurement from reference plane around the shoulder to reference plane is designated as shoulderi? The length "of the measurement from the middle'of the back of the nec k j j fou ld the neck and downwardly to the middle of the front of the garment to the reference plane is called strap. "The length of the measurement from the middle of the back of the neck ;d own themiddle of the back to the reference plane is called scye. My invention will be described with reference to the coat'of a suit, though it is to be understood that it'is applicable to vests, robes capes, overcoats and the like. In additionto thestrap, the shoulder and the scye measurements, the-girthof the chest/the girth of the waistrand thegirthof the seat are taken. In the case, of a vest, "the girthof the chest, the girth of the waist, the position of the bottom button andthe length of-the back are taken.

With the above measurements, a standard pattern can be readily altered in accordance with my method in a proportionalmanner to retain the originalstyleand atthe same time provide a perfectly fitting'garment.

If the scye measurement of the customer is too long, a standard garment will flare in the back and there will be diagonal wrinkles in the side running from the front of the coat upwardly toward the back. If the'strap measurement of the customer is too long with respect to the standard garment, the coat Will'fiare in the front and diagonal wrinkles will extend along the sides of the coat from the front downwardly toward the back. If the scye measurement of the customer is too short with respect tothe standard garment, there will be horizontal wrinkles in the back of the coat below the neck. If the strap measurement of the customer is too short with respect to the standard garment, the coat will dip in the front and flare in the back.

Referring now to Figure 2, the full shoulder line indicated by the reference numeral H5 is a line indicating the normal shoulder to which the standard pattern is cut. The shoulder line l lh comprising a line of alternate long and short dashes represents the shoulder line for a person having high shoulders. The line i ls comprising a line of one long and three short dashes shows the shoulder line 'of a person having sloping shoulders. The lines I l, [4s and M71. all lie along line It in Figure 1 and Figure 3. Whereas in Figure 2, it is assumed that the customer is neither more erect than the pattern model nor more -stooped than the pattern model. The adjustment for high shoulders, it will be observed, is'made by reducing both the length of the strap and the length of the scye at a point near the neck. Accordingly,a high shoulder correction lessens the length of the dimensions of both the front and back pattern remote from the shoulder. It will be observed, further, that in the case of a slopingshoulder the length of the strap and the length of the scye are both increased, that is, the dimension from the reference plane to the seam I ls, both in front and back, is longer than in the standard pattern. ,The'effect of a sloping shoulder correction, therefore, is to increase the dimensions oif-both the scye and the strap.

Let us assume that 'the'customerstand's with his neck slightly forward of the standard position, that is, he has a slight stoop. Referring now to Figure l, the line of dashes [6 indicates the contour of the neck and the shoulderseam. The seam ;l;6 isobtained by 'increasing'the measurement from the reference plane from the middle, of the back to the middle of the neck, that is, increasing-the lengthof the back as in the case of sloping shoulders anddecre'asingt'he length of the measurement from the reference plane along the'strap'to the shoulder seam, that is the measurement from the middle of the front of the reference plane to the top of the front panel of the pattern. This correction is one made for high shoulders in the front panel. This can be seen by reference to'Figures 4. and 5. The line l4 indicates the standard pattern line forming the shoulder seam MinFigures 1 and 3. The dashed line 1.6 in Figure 4 is formed at an angle with line 14 in a manner "so as to reduce the length of the front panel adjacent the neck. The dashed line 16 in Figure 5 is formed at an angle with line 14 'so'as to increase the length of the panel from the reference plane to the neck line. In other words, we 'have made "a correction in the front panel which we would make for high shoulders. we have, however, made a correction in the back pan'el which we would make for sloping shoulders, The correc tion made is the equivalent of high shoulders" in the front and sloping'shoulders in the bac Let us nowconsider that the'customer is stooped more than that indicated bythe'lin'e ljfi toa position indicated by the line l8 formed withtwo dashes and a dot. By reference to Figuresl, 3, 4, and 5 it will'be seen that line I8 isparallelto line Id. Not only-is the-strapmasuremerit reduced and the scye-measurementincreased but the point of juncture of theseam'with'the shoulder seam llismoved forwardly. A correction of this type, where the new shoulder seam I8 is parallel to the old shoulder seam H of the standard pattern and displaced in a forwardly direction, is called a correction for stoop. The correction adjacent the neck in this case is one which does not change the slope of the shoulders.

It will be observed that the corrections for stoop may be of two kinds. The angle of the shoulder seam may be changed to allow for the more forward positioning of the neck by a sloping shoulder correction in the back and a high shoulder correction in the front and leaving the seam adjacent the sleeve seam as in the original pattern; or the correction may be made by increasing the length of the scye and decreasing the length of the strap, which results in lengthening the panel in the back adjacent the sleeve seam and shortening the panel in the front adjacent the sleeve seam. If larger corrections for stoop were made only by shortening the strap and lengthening the scye, the balance of the garment would be destroyed and the style which is attained at such great effort and expense would be lost. Similarly, if large corrections for stoop were made only by the sloping shoulder correction in back and the high shoulder correction in front, the balance of the garment would be distorted and the style lost. I have determined that only a limited correction for stoop should be made by cutting the pattern to sloping shoulders in back and high shoulders in front and that the balance of the correction for stoo must be made by lengthening the scye and reducing the strap adjacent the sleeve seam. It is generally better to balance corrections so that part of the correction in stoop is made by each of the type of corrections described above.

Still referring to Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, the line 20 drawn with a dash and four dots is obtained when the customer is quite round shouldered. It will be noted that the line 20 is parallel to the line 16 and the pattern alteration is the result of two corrective increments. The first increment is to apply the correction for sloping shoulders in back and the correction of high shoulders in front as in the case of the corrections applied to obtain line I6. The second increment of the correction is to increase the length of the scye and to decrease the length of the strap as may readily be observed by reference to Figure 3. The result of the two increments is to provide a coat which will fit an extreme case of stoop without destroying the balance of the garment.

The dotted :line 22 is obtained when the customer has an erect posture and carries his neck well back. The pattern is altered by applying a sloping shoulders correction in front and a high shoulders correction in back. For an extreme erect position, the line 24, comprising a dash and two dots, is obtained by using two increments of correction. One increment is obtained by applying the correction of high shoulders in back and for sloping shoulders in front, and the other increment is obtained by increasing the strap and reducing the scye, as will be observed by reference to Figure 3.

As in the case of corrections for stoop, corrections for a position more erect than the standard position to which the pattern is drawn must be applied so as not to destroy the balance of the garment and the style of the pattern. This is achieved by dividing the correction between corrections of the two types.

In practice, I have found that a sloping shoulder and a corresponding high shoulder correction alone, without any alteration in the strap or the scye measurements adjacent the sleeve seam, should not be made in excess of one inch and that beyond this a correction for the strap and the scye measurements adjacent the sleeve seam should be introduced, which correction I have termed a correction for stoop or a correction for erect.f The numerical values of the stoop and erect corrections are twice the actual distance the seam is moved. If, for example, a person to be fitted has a three-quarter inch stoop, this may be compensated for by providing a sloping shoulder correction in back of three-eighths of an inch and a high shoulder correction in front of three-eighths of an inch. It may be compensated for, too, by providing a stoop correction of one-half inch and a sloping shoulder correction in back of an eighth of an inch and a high shoulder correction in front of an eighth of an inch. In other words, as long as the sloping shoulder and high shoulder corrections are not in excess of one inch, the balance of the garment will not be destroyed. Usually, even in extreme cases, a correction of two inches in each direction is sufficient to accommodate all but the most deformed of men. Each side is, of course, independently corrected in accordance with the customers measurement.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that my method contemplates the establishment of a reference plane from which measurements are taken and the correction of a standard pattern to provide for sloping shoulder and high shoulder corrections within predetermined limits and the provision of a correction for the balance of the needed change by variations in the strap and scye measurements adjacent the sleeve seam.

In practice, the method may be carried out without any particular apparatus. The reference plane may be marked on the person by means of chalk marks defining a plane just under the arm scye of the coat. It may be established, too, by the shoulder measurement. The corrections for high shoulders or sloping shoulders may be noted. The corrections for the stooped or erect positions may be measured on the person and proper allowances made so that a sloping shoulder or high shoulder correction of not more than one inch may be applied and the balance of the correction obtained by variations of the strap and scye measurements.

I have found that it will be a convenience, however, in practicing my method to employ apparatus which will facilitate the practice of the method. Referring now to Figure 6, I have shown a segment of an endless tape 3| carrying columns of indicia placed in a predetermined position. The column of figures, indicated generally by the reference numeral 30, represents the strap measurements, the line 32 running through those of the standard pattern. The column of numerals indicated generally by the reference number 34 indicates the scye measurements, the standard measurements being indicated by the line 36. The column of figures indicated generally by the reference numeral 38 is the standard shoulder measurements which locate the reference plane. The column of figures indicated by the reference numeral 40 is the chest measurements of the coat. The column of figures indicated by the reference numeral 42 is the waist measurements of the standard models. The column of figures indicated generally by the reference numeral 44 represents the seat measurements of the standard models. The column of figures indicated general- Why the referencenumeral 46 indicates the chest measurements for the-vest in the standard model. The column of figures}indicate'd generaliy by the reference numeral-"48 indicates the waistmeasure ments for the vest on the standard model, "The column of figures indicated generally by -the reference numeral 50 indicatesthdength-dlong the strap to the bottom buttonof thevest. 'The column of figures indicated generally by the reference numeral 52 indicates the -lengthof the measurement -along the scye to the 1 bottom of the back of thevest.

The column indicated -generally by the reference numeral 54 contains the name ofthe model,

that is, its style, the size, and theylength of the model-whether it is a regular, a long or ashort.

Referring now to- Figures 8"and 9, the tapet I is borne bya pluralityof rol1ers 55; 56, 51, 58,136, 60,'6I, 62, 63, 64 and 65; Each= of the'dollers comprises members 66' covered byr-ubber members 68, The shafts66 are gicurnaledin-suitable bearings. The shafts of-thebottomrellers 60, 6I, and'62-are lodged in -islots M -so t-hatthe weight'of the rollers serves to keepthe-tape taut.

Sprocket wheels 12 are secured tothe shafts of the upper rollers 63,64 and 65.' A sprocket chain I4 passes around the edge ef the-sprocket 'm so that movement of one of: the rollers-63," 64 or 65 will result in the movementof all three. Secured to the shaft 660f the roller- 63 outboard of the sprocket wheel I2, I provide a second sprocket wheel I6. A shaft I8 is journaled in the housing 80 and carries a sprocket wheel j02. 'A sprocket chain '84 extends around'-sprocket-wheel'-leand sprocket wheel 82. Asprotzkiat-wheel-Bt-is secured to the shaft I8 for rotation therewith. -A horizontal casing-88 is secured to the housingtt. A sprocket wheel 90 provided with-a handle 62 for rotating it is journaled -in the casing '86, A

sprocket chain94 extendsbetweensprocketwhe'el 90 and sprocket wheel-86.

The tape 3 I passes adjacent the fronewall-st of the casing Bil-over rollers51'and'-56,thence around ro11ers'59, 60, 65, 6I,--64, -62-, 6-3;55and56 as'can readily beseen by reference toFigure 8.

The weight of the ro1lers' 60, BI and 62 willserve to keep the tape taut. The ratio of the diameter of the sprocket wheels is such that sprocket wheel 00 is larger than -sprocket"wheel-86, Sprocket wheel 82 is larger in diameter than sprocket wheel 76. In this manner, a speed increase is obtained so that rotation of the crank "92"will-move'the tape 3I rapidly. The front face 96 0f the hou'sing 80 is providedwith a plurality of=windows"98,t I06, I02, I64 and I06,-as well'as a large'window' I66. 'Theposition of the Windows 98, I00, I02, I04 and I06 is indicated in Figure 6. There is visible through window 98 that portion of the tape showing column 54. There is visible through window I00 that portion of the tape showing-columns38,

40, 42 and-44. Columns 46, 46, 50'and'52of'the tape are viewed through window I02. The strap measurements are seen through window "I04, while the s'cye measurements are seen through window I66. The large -window -I08- provides'a' translucent writing surface.

Within the casing80,I"provide illuminating means such as fluorescent-tube H0 and reflector I I2. for illuminating window 108. The tape-itself may be transparent or tran'slucentand the windows 98, I00, I62, I04-and I66'a-reilluminatedby illuminating means such asfluorescent tube H4 and reflector II6. Horizontal casingi88 awillibe provided with a pair of drawers I-I8:and I20, the

upper surface'of the extension being illuminated.

by lighting'means such as'fluorescent'tube I22 and'refiector I24. Referring'now to Figure'10,-which is an .enarged view of a section of the front '96 of the housingefl showing the windows 08, I00, I02, I04 and I06, together with the tape 3| therebehind; it will be observed that I-have provided a, sliding member I 26 provided with a handle I28 carrying a knob I30. The member I26 is provided an extension I32 passing through a slot'formedin the face '96 of the casing '80. A plate IE4 is secured to the extension I 32 by-means of screws I36 so that the member I26'isgfree to slide from side to side. The face 6610f the casing isyprovided with a plurality of reentrant portions I38 in which the end of'a spring press pin I40 'carried by the pointer I26 is adapted to seat. The pin I40; furthermore, is-adapted to limit the righthand motion of the member I26 byicontact with a stop member I42. The left-handmotion'ofthe slide I26 is adapted to be limited by a stop member I44 carried by the casing. A series of scribe marks or'like indicia is provided on the face 96 of the casing just above theslide in the region of the pointer I26. The marks to the left of the zero point indicate stoop. The marks to the right of the zero point indicate erect. The scale of the scribe marks I46" is drawn one-half the actual scale, that is, in thescale one-half inch equals one inch. The reason for this .will become apparent as this description proceeds.

Slidably positioned within the left-hand side of slide I26, I provide a member I48 having a knob I50 by which it may be-moved to the right and to the left. The slide I48 carries a pointer I52 normally pointing to a zero scribe mark I54. A stop member I56 prevents the slide I48 from moving any further to the right. Similarly, a stop member I56 limits the leftward movement of the slide I46, which slide may be made of transparent material The upper portion I21 of the slide I26 may be made of transparent material so that the numerals on the tape 3I seen through the windows I 04 and I06 may be readily visible.

A third slide I60 is slidably carried on the right-hand side of the slide I26 and is provided with a knob I62 for moving the slide I60easily, which slide is made of transparent material. The slide I66 carries a pointer I64 which is adapted to cooperate with a stop member I66 carried by the slide I 26 for limiting the righthand movement of the slide I60. A stop member I66 co-acts with the pointer I64 to limit the left-hand movement of the slide I60. The scribe mark I65 indicates zero. It will be observed that the small scale carried by the righthand side of the slide I 26 extendsone. inch in each direction and that the right-hand side of the scale carries the legend "I-IS which represents high shoulders. That portion of the scale to the left of the zero mark I65 is designated by the legend SS which stands for sloping shoulders? The scale cooperating with the slide I48carried by the left-hand side of the large slide. I26 likewise extends one inch in each direction. Its left-most portion is marked with the legend HS standing for high shoulders, while the right-hand portion of the left sub-scale is associated with the legend SS standing for sloping shoulders. In the practice of my method and in the use of my apparatus, let us say that a customer enters a merchant tailor employing my invention and selects the-style'known as Dunn.

9 He chooses a fabric of which he would like to have the suit from the samples of the fabric which may be displayed in any suitable manner. Let us assume, too, that has chest, measured with a tape measure, has a 42 inch girth and that his height is about feet inches, so that he would take a 42 regular. The tailor then cranks the handle 92 until the legend Dunn 42 Reg. appears in window 08. What is then seen can be viewed in Figures 6 and 10. It will be observed that the reference plane on the standard pattern is established by a shoulder measurement of 19 ,4 The girth of the chest of the coat is 55". The girth of the chest of the vest is 43%. In other words, in the standard style, an allowance of 1%" is made for the vest while an allowance of 13 is made for the coat. The waist of the standard model around the coat is 50%;. The waist for the vest is made at 40 The seat on the standard model is 53%". The length along the strap to the bottom button is 23%;". The length of the back of the vest is 20 The length of the strap is 16%". The length of the scye is 10%".

In taking the measurements of the customer, the tailor first locates the reference plane. This is done very simply by measuring 19 4" around the shoulder or by drawing a horizontal line just below the armscye. The strap measurement is then taken and the scye measurement is then taken. Bv means of a square. it is noted whether the shoulders are normal and equal in height.

The bottom button measurement of the vest is used to determine whether the vest pattern should be lengthened or shortened and to what amount.

Let us assume that the scye measurement actually taken on the customer was 11%" and that the strap measurement was 16". The right-hand edge of the slide I60 may be brought into alignment with the scye measurement actually taken from the customer. To do this the slide I60 must be moved to the left and will indicate sloping shoulder 7 of an inch. The lefthand slide I48 may be moved to the left to bring its left-hand edge into alignment with the strap measurement on the tape, that is 16". When this is done, the pointer I42 will read high shoulders of an inch. The cutter may be instructed to change the pattern high shoulders front of an inch and sloping shoulders back /8 of an inch. It will be observed that neither of these measurements differ from the standard pattern more than one inch and that acco dingly the pointer I52 is not stopped by the stop I58, nor is the pointer I64 stopped by the stop I66. This degree of measurement may be made without seriously affecting the balance of the garment. If desired, however, since the figure of the customer is somewhat stooped, the handle I30 may be moved to the left to indicate /2" stoop. This carries the right-hand side of the slide I26 to the left to indicate a scye measurement of 11%;" and a strap measurement of 16 due to the fact that the stoop and erect scale is drawn to the scale of one-half inch equals one inch. Accordingly, the halfinch movement of the pointer I28 will register only one-quarter inch on each of the scye and strap scales. The strap, however, is 16". Accordingly, the small slide I48 must be moved to the left another half an inch, thus indicating high shoulders in. The scye measurement was 11%" so that the slide I60 must be moved to the left of an inch, resulting in a reading by pointer I64 of sloping shoulders in. All alterations to the strap measurements are considered front, while all alterations to the scye measurements are considered back. It will be observed from the foregoing that the garment will fit with substantially the same balance by one type of change in the pattern, or by a change in the pattern comprising two components, one for stoop and one comprising high shoulders in front and sloping shoulders in back.

Let us now assume that a customer who has chosen a Dunn style and whose chest measurement and height require the use of a basic pattern of a 42 regular has an extremely erect carriage and is, in fact, slightly sway back. Let us assume further that this customers scye measurement is 9 and that his strap measurement is '18". Starting with the slide I60, this slide is moved to the right in an attempt to align its right-hand edge with 9 After 9%" is reached, the slide I60 is arrested by pointer I64. contacting the stop I66. The slide I26 then must be moved toward the right, first one notch, that is, so the spring press pin I40 rests in the reentrant portion I38 with the pointer I28 opposite in. erect. The slide I60 cannot yet be moved to the right to reach a scye measurement of 9 due to the fact that the movement to the right of the scale I26 only brings its righthand edge to 10%. The operator then moves the slide I26 another notch to the right to bring it to the reading one inch erect. The righthand side of the scale I26 will now be in alignment with 10%" on the scye scale. The slide I60 may now be moved to the right to bring its right-hand edge in alignment with the scye measurement of the customer, namely 9%". The pointer I64 will then read hi h shoulders. The movement of the slide I26 to the right to the position of one inch erect will bring the left-hand edge of the scale I26 to 17%". The slide I48 may then be moved to the right to bring its left-hand edge in alignment with the strap measurement of the customer, namely, 18", so that the pointer I52 will then read sloping shoulders in.

The cutter will be instructed to change the pattern by the directions 1 in. erect, high shoulders back, sloping shoulders front.

Let us say that a customer has high shoulders. that is, his shoulders are more square and not as sloping as a standard model. This will be at once apparent from the strap and scye measurements. If the scye measurements, for example, were 10%" and the strap measurement was 16 A,, the correction would be made by moving the scale I60 to the right one-half inch and the scale I43 to the left one-half inch. This degree of change in slope is easily verified from the square measurements taken. The cutter would then be instructed to change the pattern to provide for a correction of high shoulders in. K

It will be seen that the device described enables my method to be carried out in a convenient, simple and expeditious manner. The high shoulders and sloping shoulders corrections are not made in excess of one inch in each direction. The movement of the seam in stoop and erect corrections is not made in excess of one inch in each direction. A one inch erect correction, for

example, would be distributed evenly, one-half inch to the strap and one-half inch to the scye due to the fact that the stoop and erect scale changes both the strap and the scye measurement a like amount. The reason for making the stoop and erectscale'onemalf the "actual-scale will now be apparent. By'moving the scale l26 one-half inch to'the right a correction of one inch is obtained distributed evenly one-half inch to the strap and. one-half inch to the scye.

The system of stops, the'stops' MZand IMF. for the scale I26 and the stops IBBand Idil'for the scale I60 and the stops I56 an'd'l58 for the scale I 48, automatically prevents the application of corrections to such a degree thatan unbalanced garment would be made: The'pattern is automatically corrected in such a manner as to maintain the style for which the'garment was desi ned.

The other customary measurements of the length of the coat, the actual waist of the customer, the actual seat of the customer, the actual position of the bottom button and the length of the back of the vest are all taken as in the usual case and the standard pattern altered in accordance with these actual dimensions. These dimensionsa're not critical and are not such as to disturb the balance of the" garment.

By means of my method, I have been enabled to fit customers precisely Withouta trial fitting. I can provide smartly styled tailored garments made from a standard'patternand can be assured that thesu'its Will fit." In this manner, I am enabled to obtain many of the advantages of ready-made'clothing in so far as smart styles are concerne'dand" all of" the advantages of tailored' clothing in so far as the fitting of the clothes are concerned.

My method and apparatus removes" much of the guesswork from' tailoring and tends'to reduce it from an art to a sjc'ience'whereby accurately/fitting clothes are insured.

It willbe seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. 4

I have provided a methoda'nd apparatus for proportioning garments such that'a standard pattern may be altered from the customers measurements in' a; manner to retain the style and to enable the garment to fit precisely without the necessity of the trial-anderror method. I have an improved method of proportioning garments in an accurate, uniform, simple and expeditious manner; I have provided apparatus for proportioning garments from measurements of the customer' whereby a standard pattern may be altered to provide a garment which will fit the customer in a manner to retain the style of the original pattern. v

Thus far I have described the' firing of a reference plane by a standard shoulder measurement and the alteration of the pattern by strap and scye measurements in order to provide a garmentof' a style in accordance with a standard and obtain the necessary fit for the particular subject to be fitted with a garment. It is to be understood that the standard reference plane may be established by either the standard scye measurement or the standard strap measurement. If the reference plane is established by the standard scye measurement, the shoulder measurement and the strap'm'easurement of the person Will be used to alter the standard pattern. If the reference plane is established by a standard strap measurement, the scye measurement and the shoulder measurement of the person will be used to alter the pattern; Referring now to Figure 13, it will be seen that the horizontal reference plane has been estabj lished by the strap measurement indicated in:

full lines and that the-scye and shoulder measurements indicated indottedlines may be varied. It will be clear that if a sloping shoulder'correcticn is to be madethis can be done very readily by reducing the shoulder measurement in' an amount proper to provide an increased degree of sloping of the shoulder line over the slope of the standard garment. If the subject has high shoulders the shoulder measurement is increased and the scye measurementremains the same. It is to be remembered that when'the reference plane'is established by the strap measurement it never changes. Let us now assume that the subject is stooped and it is desired to give the coat the configuration say of construction line 29 shown in Figure 3. To accomplish this, the scye measurement isincrased by the amount of stoop and the standard'shoulder measurement is increased by an amount equal to the increase in the scye measurement, assuming that it is not desired to change the slope of the shoulder. If, on the other hand, it is desired to give the coat a configuration of erect such as indicated by construction line 24' of Figure 3, the scye measurement is decreased and the shoulder measurement is decreased a corresponding amount, assuming that it is desiredto maintain the same slope of the shoulders. Thus the balance of the coat is maintained.

R'eferring now to Figure 14, I have shown the case in which the scye measurement is used to establish the horizontal reference plane. In this, if it is desired to correct fOr sloping shoulders, the shoulder measurement is decreased. If it isdesired to correct forhigh'shoulders the shoulder measurement is increased. If it is desired to correct for stoop the strap measurement is decreased thef required amount and the shoulder measurement is decreased a corresponding amount. If it is desired to correct for a more erect posture than the standard garment the strap is increased and the shoulder is increased a corresponding amount.

Thus it is seen that the essence of my method is to establish a horizontal reference plane to which the standard shoulder, strap and scye measurements are read. The reference plane is then located on the subject by one of these standard measurements which may be either the shoulder measurement, the strap measurementor thescye' measurement. The actual length of each of the other-twomeasurements of the subject is then-taken to the referenceplane which is thus established and; each of the actual lengths is then compared withthe corresponding measurement to determine the amount and direction of the difference therebetvreen. The standard pattern may then be readily altered in accordance with the differences thus obtained and the resulting garment will fit and maintain the proportional balance of the standard garment. Ing practice, I have found it most suitable to establish thereference plane by a standard shoulder measurement.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to belimited to the specific details shown and described,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A method of proportioning garments of a standard pattern to compensate for disconformities of measurements of a subject to be fitted with a garment from measurements of a standard figure for which the standard pattern was designed, including the steps of establishing a horizontal reference plane on the standard pattern to which standard shoulder, strap and scye measurements are read, locating the reference plane on the subject by one of said standard measurements, taking the actual length of the other two measurements of the subject to the reference plane thus established, comparing the actual lengths with the corresponding standard measurements to determine the amount and direction of the difference therebetween and then altering the standard pattern in accordance with the amount and direction of the differences thus obtained.

2. A method of proportioning garments of a desired standard pattern to compensate for disconformities of measurements of a subject to be fitted with a garment from measurements of a standard figure for which the standard pattern was designed, including the steps of establishing a horizontal reference plane on the standard pattern to which standard shoulder, strap and scye measurements are read, locating the reference plane on the subject by the standard shoulder measurement, taking the actual scye and strap measurements of the subject to the reference plane thus established, comparing the actual scye measurement with the standard scye measurement to determine the amount and direction of the difference therebetween, comparing the actual strap measurement with the standard strap measurement to determine the amount and direction of the difference therebetween, then altering the standard pattern in accordance with the amount and direction of the strap and scye differences thus obtained.

3. A method as in claim 2 in which said standard pattern comprises a front panel and a back panel adapted to be joined along a seam running from shoulder to neck, in which a correction for high shoulders as evidenced by a decrease in both the actual scye and strap measurements from the standard scye and strap measurements is made by reducing the length of the front and back panels from the reference plane to the seam adjacent the neck and leaving the length of the front and back panels from the reference plane to the seam adjacent the sleeve unchanged.

4. A method as in claim 2 in which said standard pattern comprises a front panel and a back panel adapted to be joined along a seam running from shoulder to neck, in which a correction for sloping shoulders as evidenced by an increase in both the actual scye and strap measurements over the standard scye and scrap measurements is made by increasing the length of the front and back panels from the reference plane to the seam adjacent the neck and leaving the length of the front and back panels from the reference plane to the seam adjacent the sleeve unchanged.

5. A method as in claim 2 in which said standard pattern comprises a front panel and a back panel adapted to be joined along a seam running from shoulder to neck in which a correction for a posture of the subject more stooped than the standard figure as evidenced by an increase in the scye measurement of the subject over the scye measurement of the standard pattern and a decrease in the strap measurement of the subject from the strap measurement of the standard figure is made by a sloping shoulder correction in the back panel and a high shoulder correction in the front panel, said sloping shoulder and high shoulder corrections not exceeding one inch.

6. A method as in claim 2 in which said standard pattern comprises a front panel and a back panel adapted to be joined along a seam running from shoulder to neck in which a correction for a posture of the subject more stooped than the standard figure as evidenced by an increase in the scye measurement of the subject over the scye measurement of the standard pattern and a decrease in the strap measurement of the subject from the strap measurement of the standard figure is made by a sloping shoulder correction in the back panel and a high shoulder correction in the front panel, said sloping shoulder and high shoulder corrections not exceeding one inch, and the length of said back panel being increased adjacent the sleeve and adjacent the neck by an additional amount not exceeding an additional one inch.

7. A method as in claim 2 in which said standard pattern comprises a front panel and a back panel adapted to be joined along a seam running from shoulder to neck in which a correction for a posture of the subject more erect than that of the standard figure as evidenced by an increase in the strap measurement and a decrease in the scye measurement of the subject over the corresponding standard strap and scye measurements is made by a sloping shoulder correction in front and a high shoulder correction in back, said corrections not exceeding one inch.

8. A method as in claim 2 in which said standard pattern comprises a front panel and a back panel adapted to be joined along a seam running from shoulder to neck in which a correction for a posture of the subject more erect than that of the standard figure as evidenced by an increase in the strap measurement and a decrease in the scye measurement of the subject over the corresponding standard strap and scye measurements is made by a sloping shoulder correction in front and a high shoulder correction in back, said corrections not exceeding one inch, and the length of the front panel is increased at both the seam and the neck and the back panel is decreased at both the sleeve and the neck by an additional amount not exceeding one inch.

9. A method as in claim 2 in which said standard pattern comprises a front panel and a back panel adapted to be joined along a seam running from shoulder to neck in which alterations of the standard pattern are made by varying the length of the front and back panels, maintaining the shoulder measure in accordance with the shoulder measure of the standard pattern giving effect to the variations in the strap and scye measurements of the subject from the strap and scye measurements of the standard figure by varying the length of the front and back panels adjacent the neck through a distance of not more than two inches respectively and varying the length of the front and back panels adjacent the sleeve through a distance of not more than one inch respectively.

HENRY BOOTH.

(References on following page) 15v 16 REFERENCES. CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Thle fblllowi ng references are of record in the Number Country Date file; of this atent: 622,41 France Feb. 26, 1927 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 8221244 France Sept- 13, 1937 Number Name Date TH REFERENCES 353,903 Weir 3, 1337 Pub1icati0n:-Hu1me, The Practice of Garment 25 5 3 G w 1913 Pattern Making, London, 1946, pages 70-79. 1,612,544 Spaldmg 23, 1926 Publication: Carlin, Alterations of Mens Clothlu732s369 Leeman 22, 1929 10 ing, Fa-irchild Pub. 00., New York, 1947, pages l-,885,61'T Meyer Nov. 1, 1932 53.437 and 7 3; 1,935,021; Engb'lom NOV. 14, 1933 2,297,439 Szabo Sept 29, 1942 2,421,745- Dantzig June 10, 1947 

